The Benefits of Reading Stories

I'm getting ready for a summer teaching job. In a few weeks I'll go through roughly 120 hours of training all in an effort to give me the tools to teach kids ages 4 - 17 how to fall in love with reading. I'm looking forward to the skills and techniques I'll be taught because I believe I'll be able to use them in other arenas of my life.

I spent a great deal of my time reading biographies, self-development and entrepreneur books, that I sometimes forget that fiction expands your imagination in remarkable ways. 

But what I've learned by reading the required books, The Cricket in Times Square, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and The Lord of the Rings is falling in love with fictional stories has many benefits. 

You learn to think critically, identify broad themes, and take solace in knowing you're not alone. Storytelling is the oldest form of cultivating community. And as readers, we have the opportunity to focus on our shared bond as creators, adventurers, and dreamers. 

Three things you're never too old to be.

Schedule It

"I don't have time," is one of the most common arguments for not beginning a new project. In many cases it's true.

Still, I've found the creators who really value high performance and are committed to getting their voices heard simply find the time to see their endeavors through.

They do this by taking inventory of the other "urgent" priorities in their life. Often times, through an honest and thorough self-assessment one finds, that in fact, they do have the minutes to spare.

If something is truly important to you schedule it.